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Pronoun Usage in Online Sexual Predation
Maxim V Baryshevtsev1, Matthew S McGlone1
1Department of Communication Studies, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|August 11, 2017
Summary
Sexual predators, or contact-driven solicitation offenders (CDSOs), use fewer self-focused pronouns and more other-focused pronouns when interacting online with decoys. This linguistic pattern aligns with theories of predatory luring tactics.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Linguistics
- Criminology
Background:
- Online interactions are increasingly used for criminal solicitation.
- Understanding the linguistic patterns of offenders can aid in detection and prevention.
- Previous research has explored offender communication, but pronoun usage in solicitation contexts requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze pronoun usage in online conversations between sexual predators and decoys.
- To compare the pronoun usage of offenders with that of decoys and adult romantic partners.
- To determine if specific pronoun patterns are indicative of predatory luring behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Computerized text analysis of 561 instant messaging conversations.
- Inclusion of conversations between contact-driven solicitation offenders (CDSOs) and decoys (adults posing as children).
- Comparison of pronoun usage between CDSOs, decoys, and adult romantic partners in courtship discussions.
Main Results:
- CDSOs used significantly fewer first-person singular pronouns compared to decoys.
- CDSOs used significantly more second-person singular pronouns than decoys.
- CDSOs exhibited higher usage of second-person pronouns compared to adult romantic partners in courtship contexts.
Conclusions:
- The pronoun usage patterns of CDSOs suggest an 'other-focused' communication style.
- This linguistic strategy may be employed to make targets feel special, facilitating the entrapment process.
- Findings support theories of predatory luring that emphasize the manipulation of target perception.